La Géographie de la France

France is divided into 18 régions and 101 départements. An important distinction to make is between la France métropolitaine and la France d'outre-mer. La France métropolitaine designates the régions and départements that are in continental France. La France d'outre-mer is outside the continent of Europe.

There are 13 régions and 96 départements in La France métropolitaine. 12 of these régions are on the continent, but one, Corse, is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. Corse (Corsica) has a special status and is classified as collectivité territoriale unique.

There are 5 régions in La France d'outre-mer that are also départements. For example, La Réunion (an island located off the east coast of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean) is both a région and a département.

Note: les régions d'outre-mer are France, meaning that their inhabitants have the same judicial, political, and economic rights as French citizens in continental France.

Régions
la France métropolitaine	la France d'outre-mer
Bretagne Normandie Hauts-de-France Grand Est Île-de-France Centre-Val de Loire Pays de la Loire Nouvelle-Aquitaine Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Occitaine Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Collectivité territoriale unique Corse	*Caribbean Régions (Antilles françaises):* Guadeloupe Martinique South American Régions: Guyane Indian Ocean Régions: Mayotte La Réunion